J&K to grant domicile certificates to non-local spouses

The government has authorised tahsildars to issue documents

A bride being carried in a palanquin at Aditragh village in Pulwama district, 75 km south of Srinagar, J&K. Prior to August 5, 2019, when the Centre ended J&K’s special constitutional position, husbands of local women married outside J&K had no right to buy property or apply for jobs in J&K. File photo

The J&K administration has rolled out the process to issue domicile certificates to the spouses of erstwhile State subjects who have a domicile certificate, which will allow husbands of women married outside to acquire the documents for the first time.

“In exercise of the powers conferred by proviso to Article 309 of the Constitution of India read with Section of the

J&K Civil Service (Decentralisation and recruitment) Act , 2010, the government hereby grants domicile certificates to spouse of a domicile,” a government order, dated July 20, 2021, reads.

The government has authorised tahsildars to issue such certificates against “valid proof of marriage”. A deputy commissioner will be the appellate authority for the same.

Prior to August 5, 2019, when the Centre ended J&K’s special constitutional position , husbands of local women married outside J&K had no right to buy property or apply for jobs in J&K.

According to ‘J&K Grant of Domicile Certificate Procedure Rules 2020’, domicile certificates will be issued to all Permanent Resident Certificate holders and their children living outside the Union Territory.